Gauging means for use on honing and like machines



July 20, 1954 BALL 2,683,934

GAUGING MEANS FOR USE ON HONING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 17, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l 6 x I S v J W v 'F m J y 1954 E. D. BALL 2,683,934

GAUGING MEANS FOR USE ON HONING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1954 E. D. BALL 2,683,934

GAUGING MEANS FOR USE ON HONING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 17, 1953 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 20, 1954 GAUGING MEANS FOR USE ON HONING AND LIKE MACHINES Edgar Dale Ball, Sutton Coldfield, England, assignor of one-half to George H. Alexander Machinery Limited, Birmingham, England Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,448

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 28, 1952 5 Claims.

This invention has for its object to provide in a convenient form, a gauging means for measuring more particularly the internal diameter of a large and long bore produced in a work piece by a honing or like machine.

The invention comprises the combination of a hollow cylindrical head for carrying a hone or other tool, a pair of diametrically opposite and spring loaded plungers each provided with or adapted to serve as a feeler at its outer end, a lever connected to the inner end of each plunger, a flexible tape or tapes interconnecting corresponding ends of the levers and attached to an intermediate actuating roller, a manually operable means for actuating the said roller, and a measuring means responsive to angular movements of the manually operable means.

The invention also comprises the combination with each plunger, of means for flushing the same with lubricating liquid.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a honing tool embodying the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections (to a larger scale than Figure 1) on the lines 22, 3-3, respectively.

Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation illustrating the actuating mechanism of the measuring means.

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views in planes mutually at right angles illustrating the feeler plungers.

Figure 7 illustrates a feeler extension.

Referring to the drawings, a hollow cylindrical head a (Figure 1) is provided for carrying the honing or like tools b, this head being attached to a hollow driving spindle 0. At a pair of diametrically opposite positions in the said head are formed or secured a pair of radially disposed cylinders (1 (Figures 2, 5 and 6) and in each cylinder is contained a plunger e loaded by a spring I and carrying at its outer end a feeler g which may consist of a hard steel ball.

Within the said head a there is mounted adjacent to the inner end of each plunger a lever 71. connected to a stem z extending from the plunger, and the free ends of the two levers are interconnected by a flexible metal tape or tapes 1' passing over supporting rollers it and connected to the periphery of an actuating roller m situated between the levers. The roller 11!. has connected to it one end of an actuating spindle n (Figures 2 and 4) which is situated parallel with the axis of and extends through one side of the tool head a. The spindle n is connected through rollers 0 and a band 10 to a spindle q which extends along the interior of the above mentioned hollow spindle c, the spindle q having attached to it an actuating handle T. It will be understood that the spindle 0 extends beyond the entrance end of the work piece s (Figure 1) and the handle 1 occupies a position in which it is at all times accessible to the oeprator.

The connection between the spindle n and the roller m is preferably effected by antifriction balls t or rollers contained in straight grooves respectively formed transversely across the spindle and in the sides of a slot in the roller, the length of the slot being such as will allow the roller to float on the spindle and thereby ensure slight relative movements of the plungers e under the action of the tapes 1i.

At the outer end of the spindle q is provided an arm u for imparting movement to the movable member 1: which actuates the indicating finger of a dial-type micrometer w (Figure 3).

The arrangement is such that on moving the handle r in one direction the levers h are moved for retracting the plungers. When the handle is released, the feelers g are pressed into contact with the work piece .9 by the springs acting on the plungers e, and the extent of this movement is indicated on the dial micrometer.

To obviate obstruction of free movement of the plungers e by fine particles produced by the action of the honing tools on the work piece, provision is made as shown in Figures 5 and 6 for flushing the plungers with oil or other cleansing liquid. The liquid is contained in the head a which carries the honing tools, and has access to the plunger e through ports in the cylinders carrying the plungers, spring-loaded valves being provided in each cylinder to control the flow of liquid into and out of the cylinder. In the example shown liquid can enter first through a port 2 controlled by a non-return valve 3, and then through a port as when the latter is uncovered by the plunger d. It can also pass to the surface of the plunger along a passage 4 controlled by a valve 5. Discharge of liquid from the cylinder is effected first through the port a:, and then (when this port is closed by the plunger) through a valve 6 loaded by a spring arm '1. Each plunger exerts a pumping action, causing its surface to be efiectively flushed when a reciprocatory movement is imparted to the plungers by the handle 1'.

To enable the same gauging means to be used on work pieces of greater diameter than can be dealt with by the apparatus above described,

detachable radial extensions 8 (Figure '7) of appropriate lengths are provided for attachment to the outer ends of the cylinders d, and in each extension isprovided an axiallyslidable-stem 9 having a ffeeler '10 thestem fi being actuated by the plunger e in the associated cylinder.

A gauging means as above described is intended more particularly for use in a honing or like machine acting on long workapieceslofflarge diameter.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Gauging means for use in a honing or like machine having a hollow cylindrical head for carrying a hone or other tool, comprisingin combination a pair of diametrically opposite cylinders located in said head, a spring-loaded plunger in each of said cylinders and having feeler means at its outer end, a lever connected to the inner end of each plunger, .flexible tape means interconnecting corresponding 4 ends of .the levers and attached to an intermediate actuatingroller, manually operable .angularly'movable means for actuating the said roller, and indicating means responsive to angularmovements of the manually operable means.

2. Gauging means as claimed in claim 1. in

which the said actuating roller has a floating connection With an associated actuating spindle.

3. Gauging means as claimed in claim 1, in which the manually operable means includes a spindle and a cam thereonto actuate a dial indicator.

4. Gauging means as claimed in claim 1, in which the said actuating roller and a manually operable :handle are interconnected by a pair of interconnected spindles respectively carried by the head andits actuating spindle.

Z5. Gauging .means as claimed in claim 1, in which provision is made for flushing each plunger by liquid contained in the tool head, each plunger being adapted to set up a pumping action when reciprocated in its cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,534,302 Conradson et a1. Apr. 21, 1925 2,260,354 Wallace Oct. 28, 1941 2,356,223 Compton, Jr Aug. 22, 1944 2,622,331 Haines Dec. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 73,478 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1917 

